When Sam Murphy strolled out to the crease at Gunnedah on Sunday, he was mostly excited about the opportunity to get a bit of time in the middle.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
By the time he walked off he had notched his maiden century.
More noted as a bowler, he usually doesn’t come in until seven or eight.
Elevated up the order to three he showed his batting prowess, smacking an unbeaten 105 as his Tamworth Blue under-14s side blasted their way to 2-274.
It is his first-ever century. Before Sunday he hadn’t even scored a half-century with his previous best rep score 17.
The Blue were well on their way to a big total when Murphy went out with openers Ben Chick and Adam Williams sharing a 136 run opening stand.
In what was a brilliant batting performance, both struck half-centuries.
Williams made 56 and Chick 89, the latter then combining with Murphy in a 109 run partnership.
Coach Craig Baker admitted he wasn’t expecting them to post the score they did after being sent in on a wet deck.
“You could see where the puddles of water were,” he said.
His instructions to Chick and Williams were to watch every ball and not play any rash shots.
The bad balls were going to come, they just had to wait for them.
“They controlled the game really well. Mind you the opening Gunnedah bowlers didn’t use the wet wicket to their advantage,” Baker said.
With Chick and Williams laying the groundwork, he said it was a great opportunity to send Murphy in.
“He can hit the ball quite hard,” he said.
His power was on full display as he plundered five sixes and 12 fours in his 54-ball knock. At one stage he smashed 26 off one over.
“Before we knew it we were clapping him for his 100,” Baker said.
Murphy later said he hadn’t scored a half-century before. His previous best score for Tamworth was 17.
He admitted he didn’t really have any idea he was insight of 100 until Chick mentioned something to him.
“Ben was batting with me – he said I was pretty close,” he said.
He brought up his ton in fitting style - with a six.
“I hit it straight over the bowlers head,” he said.
Chick said he wasn’t too bothered about being sent in, although the pitch wasn’t the easiest to bat on.
“There was a bit of uneven bounce,” he said.
“We were just rotating the strike and the runs came after that.”
His 89 eclipsed his previous best rep score of 70, incidentally scored against Gunnedah last season.
It was his third half-century this season across school, grade and rep cricket.
Both he and Murphy have stepped up to grade cricket this season, with Chick playing third grade for Norths and Murphy second grade for Souths.
Trading weapons to the ball Murphy, despite feeling “a bit sore” after his batting exploits, was very tidy, going for only nine runs off his eight overs as the Blue routed the home side for 84. Nick Mead was the destroyer claiming 5-16.
It was a good day for the Blue sides with the under-16s and under-12s also victorious over their Gunnedah opponents.
The under-16s made 137 and then bowled Gunnedah out for 119, Joey Mead backing up his top-scoring 29 with 4-27.
The under-12s’ ripped through Gunnedah for just 28 with Ben Sleeman snaring 3-2, Thomas Holmes 2-5, Jackson Purdy 2-12 and Charlie Whale 2-2 before polishing off the runs in seven overs.
It was a different story out at Moree where the Gold were beaten by 10 wickets.
Oscar Turner (12) was the best performer with the bat as the Gold made 6-38 and 43 off their two 20 over innings. Moree only needed two overs in their second dig to chase down the runs.
